(Thank you for your patience, to those of you following this story. I hadn't intended to keep you waiting for an update, but something came up. I hope you all enjoyed your "holiday", if one can call it that. It's actually rather disgusting-Valentines Day-and morbid, if you know about it's origins. But I digress. I give you...)
Chapter 11
Sango met Kagome at her front door, crushing her with a hug.
"Kagome, you look great!" Sango exclaimed, pulling back and giving the miko a once over.
Kagome's looks down at the form fitting kimono and shrugs. "It will take some getting used to but it's comfortable."
"So I hear you've been having all of the fun without me." Sango said, pulling her face into a pout. "It's been so long since I've seen any action."
Kagome furrowed her brows in confusion and looked to Inuyasha for an answer. He smirked.
"So Shippo told you about Sesshomaru, huh?" He said, crossing his arms over his chest.
The tajia smiled. "And that Kagome sent him packing with his overgrown tail between his legs." She glared at Inuyasha then, punching him in his arm. "How could you let him get the best of you Inuyasha?"
"Damn Sango, why ya hittin' me?" He growled. "Miroku, control your woman."
Miroku cringed and forced a smile at his dog eared friend. "Don't be over dramatic Inuyasha."
"Shippo exaggerated, Sango," Kagome interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Sesshomaru wasn't afraid of anything. I, on the other hand, was completely terrified. I hadn't felt a demonic presence that immense since Naraku."
"Well," began the slayer, "Next time a demon shows up, come and get me. I feel left out."
Kagome hugged her friend. "Of course Sango. So do you need help with anything? Dinner smells great!"
"The deer should be done roasting by now. We are just waiting for the rest of the party to arrive." She replied, ushering the mated couple to sit.
They sat side by side, Inuyasha wishing to pull her into his lap. He kept his hands to himself, however, discovering Miroku giving him a 'knowing' smirk. He glared back at the monk, flashing his fangs.
Miroku smiled and moved toward the door. "Sango, love, I'm going to wait for our other guests outside."
"Okay." She replied, flashing him a smile. "I hope they aren't too much longer."
"Oh!" Miroku peeks back into the house. "Speak of devils and they come."
Inuyasha joined him in the doorway, smirking at the sight of the two demons approaching. Shippo was in step with Safaia who appeared apprehensive as they neared the house. Shippo waved at them, and Miroku waved back, leaning over closer to Inuyasha.
"You know something I don't?" He whispered, raising an eyebrow at the half demon.
Inuyasha had to hide his smile as he turned to reenter the hut. "Keh."
Kagome flashed him a smile, and then looked at Sango who was fussing with her kimono.
"Sango? You okay?" Kagome asked.
"I'm fine," she replies, waving her hand. " I'll talk to you later."
Kagome gave her a reassuring smile and nodded, before turning her attention to the door. Shippo entered first and Kagome greeted him with a hug. Safaia stood behind him in the doorway and Kagome threw her a wink before letting go of him.
Shippo stepped back to Safaia's side. "Miroku. Sango. This is Safaia."
"It's nice to meet you." Miroku said with a smile. "I'm glad you could make it for dinner."
Safaia attempted a smile at him.
Sango stepped to his side. "Shippo caught us a big doe. We have a lot. I hope you have a big appetite."
"Demon's always have a big appetite." Safaia said, relaxing some. "You should know that." She laughed, pointing behind the couple at Inuyasha who was already serving himself a large helping.
"Inuyasha!" Sango shouted, punching his head.
Inuyasha didn't flinch and glared up at her, spitefully, taking a bite. Sango growled at him, ready to strike him again, but Safaia's laughter drew her attention.
"You must be a slayer," the fox woman said, taking a seat next to Kagome who had seated herself next to her mate. "To so casually strike a demon, without your weapon in hand."
Kagome smiled at Safaia. It hadn't gone unnoticed by her that she called him a demon instead of 'half'. She watched Shippo sit on the other side of the young woman, stealing a glance at her from the corner of his eye. Kagome and Miroku met eyes as he sat down next to Inuyasha, opposite her, and they shared a knowing smile. Miroku was always the most observant of the group and she knew he had an eye on the pair.
She took the bowl of food Sango held out to her, waiting to eat until everyone had their food. Inuyasha refilled his bowl and they all began eating.
Safaia swallowed, staring down at her food.
Sango cringed. "Do you not like it?"
Safaia shook her head. "No. I've never had deer this way. It's so good."
Sango smiled, about to thank her for the compliment, but Inuyasha interrupted her.
"You mean, 'cooked', right?" He teased.
"Well," Safaia stuttered. "Yes."
Shippo scowled at the dog demon, before offering Safaia an apologetic smile. "Inuyasha grew up living a life of luxury. Not like us normal demons."
Shippo grinned mischievously at Inuyasha who was sputtering.
"Luxury?" He spat, ignoring his giggling mate. "When have you ever eaten raw deer, you runt?"
"It's impossible to be a runt when you're the only one in a litter." He retorted, flicking a slice of steamed carrot at the hanyou's head.
"I was the runt!" Safaia exclaimed, cutting them off.
Shippo's eyes widened. "You have siblings?"
Safaia sighed, trying her best to look forlorn. "No. Not for a long time, now."
A quick glance around the room tells her they were buying it, all of them sharing a look of pity.
"I'm sorry, Safaia. What happened?" Shippo asked, quietly.
"My father ate them." She shrugged, taking another bite of her meal.
When everyone reacted-save for the hanyou, who hardened his expression-like they had seen a ghost, she smirked.
"Just kidding."
There was a combination of laughter, curses, and scolding from the strange group and she couldn't contain her giggle.
"So you like playing tricks as well, then?" Miroku added. "We'd better be on our toes Sango."
Shippo scoffed. "She is definitely worse than me. She is wild, after all." He finished, sticking his tongue out at Safaia.
She grinned and snapped her teeth to bite it, laughing when Shippo pulled it back into his mouth in time. He blushed, looking at her like she was mad.
"See what I mean?" He stammered, leaning away from her.
"I forget sometimes that none of you were around when I first got here." Kagome began. "Inuyasha would have made anyone look tame."
"Keh. Not like you let me get away with it. You sat me into oblivion to get the jewel back just as soon as Kaede had the beads on me."
"You always seem to forget you tried to cut my head off." She said, poking at his ribcage.
"How romantic." Safaia chimed, earning herself a baffled look from Shippo and Inuyasha. "And then after you beat him with your powers did he ask you to be his mate?"
Kagome stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "That's not quite how it happened."
"Quite?" Inuyasha spat through clenched teeth, his eyebrow twitching.
"It's a long story actually, Safaia-"
"I like stories. Shippo has told me very little." She said, setting her empty bowl down. "Tell me."
Kagome looks around at her friends and Sango speaks up first. "Safaia, how did you meet Kagome?"
"Kagome needed rescuing from a big bad dog." Safaia teases, smiling at the tajia. "We crossed paths in a wood a few nights ago."
Kagome squeezes her mates arm to calm him. She could feel him growing irritated at Miroku and Sango's incredulous stares.
"I needed some time to myself, you know?" She began, pulling the married couples gazes off her mate. "I was running blindly like a moron and I completely missed Safaia's presence. I ran right into her when she was in her large fox form and fell. I was so caught off guard I'm surprised I didn't kill her. I knew when I saw her, though, she wouldn't hurt me."
"Yeah, but I almost left her there when I felt Inuyasha coming." Safaia said, taking charge of the story. "I was already on the run from a dog demon, I didn't want to meet another. Kagome swore he wouldn't hurt me and begged me for a ride. I was apprehensive, I mean, taking a demon's mate is the easiest way to get yourself killed. But I knew I could outrun him."
"Keh!" Inuyasha interrupted her, clearly insulted. "Don't be so full of yourself. I bet Shippo can beat your ass at a race any day."
Safaia looked at Shippo and began giggling. "Is that true, Shippo?" She asked, leaning in closer to him.
He folded his arms over his chest, feigning annoyance as he looked away from her. "Can't be sure. You cheated the first time."
"You mean she beat you again?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "You idiot!"
Safaia giggled even more as Shippo visibly tried to composed himself. She gasped, flinching, when he turned and growled at her.
"I would have won if you hadn't cheated."
Her wide eyes softened and she smiled at him. "We'll do it again. And I won't cheat. I promise."
He relaxed and smiled at her, but Inuyasha's words made him rigid once more and his tail bristled.
"What a sore loser."
Shippo knew he was trying to get a rise out of him. He couldn't help but take the bait. Inuyasha was making him look bad in front of Safaia. He would have to hit a sore spot with the hanyou, and he knew just the spot.
"Kind of like you being a sore loser whenever Kouga came to court Kagome?"
Inuyasha sneered at him and grabbed Kagome's hair with one hand, pulling it aside, and pulling her kimono down with the other to expose the mate mark on her neck. "Does it look like I lost to that mangy bastard?"
Shippo smirked at him, waiting for what he knew would come.
Kagome struggled against him, prying his fingers from her arm to release her kimono. She felt the possessiveness explode within him, and was instantly pissed off. He hadn't exposed her to the group, or even physically hurt her. It was her pride that he was squashing as he forcibly displayed her.
"Inuyasha!" She growled. It was then, that he released her, sensing her anger just a little too late. She readjusted her kimono and stood over him, stuttering. "You can't just-"
"I'm sorry, Kagome." Shippo intervened, regretting his words.
She slumped her shoulders and sighed. "I'm going to get some air."
Inuyasha watched her exit and turned to face the married couple. Sango was glaring and Miroku rubbed the back of his head, awkwardly.
"Oops." Inuyasha said, chuckling nervously. "That didn't come out right."
Safaia looked at Shippo, confused. Shippo knew she wouldn't understand Kagome's anger, so he shrugged, and watched as Safaia left the hut.
"She'll get her back." He said, watching Inuyasha debate following his mate.
Safaia found Kagome outside in the dark, sitting in the grass, staring out at the road. She crouched in front of the miko, hugging her knees to her chest and eyed her curiously.
"You know he's allowed to do that, right?"
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yes."
"So then why did you get angry?"
Kagome heaved a sigh, wondering how she could explain it to her new friend in a way she would understand.
"Where I come from," she began, wanting to make it short and simple. "Women are very independent. Many never marry, and even more work their whole lives to support themselves, their children, and even sometimes their man. There are no demon's either. We are all human, and the laws there are very different. I was one of those women, working to take care of myself, by myself. I took pride in that-that I was my own ruler, my own keeper, and my body was my own. He just-"
"Hurt your pride?" She finished for the miko.
Kagome nodded, and Safaia furrowed her eyebrows, obviously troubled by this.
"Safaia, I know how this works. I gave myself to him knowing most of how this works. I'm only human, though. If I let it happen, my emotions will easily rule me. I'm not truly angry at him. I guess I was just embarrassed. I mean, damn!" She went on, her voice raising. "He could have exposed me to everyone in the room. Like hell would I sit there and let him."
"Inuyasha wouldn't be that careless with two other males in the room." Safaia chuckled, standing and offering Kagome her hands. Kagome took her offer and Safaia pulled her to her feet. "Dogs are insane just like wolves. Jealous and possessive to the point of madness. You know he will kill any man-demon or human-if they touch you. Maybe even for just looking too long, or lusting after you."
"I'm fully aware. I can feel it. It's definitely intense. I imagine if any woman touched him, again, I would kill her."
"Again?" Safaia, gaped, pulling them a few feet farther from the house. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "What do you mean again?"
Kagome realized her choice of words were a mistake. She thought back to long ago when she had seen Kikyo kiss him. She scowled when she felt her jealousy spike, hating everything about it. She had been jealous of ghost then, and it seemed she could still be now.
"Stupid." Kagome ground through her teeth. "It's not what you think, for sure. But I wasn't the first woman he had eyes for."
"Wow," Safaia laughed, looking surprised. "You must be something special. He chose you, Kagome." She whispered, smiling.
Kagome felt her heart soften at her words. She gazes at the ground, looking wistful. "I can't imagine why he thinks so. I'm lucky, I guess."
Safaia grabbed her hand, stealing Kagome's gaze from the ground. "Now, Kagome. You know there is no such thing as luck."
Kagome began to think back to a spelunking expedition in Puerto Rico that could have claimed her life, had luck not intervened. Her cam had come loose somehow, but there was one someone left behind already placed about a foot from her own. She had been able to hook it in time to save herself from the fall. She took it with her after that, deciding it was good luck, and kept it on her bag at all times. She opened her mouth to protest, but Safaia tugged her arm, leading her back toward the hut.
"Come on, Kagome. I want to hear all of your stories!"/